PDF or Word? Which Format to Send and When
Should you attach your CV as a PDF or a Word file? Should a contract go out as .docx or .pdf? The choice affects how your document looks on the other side, whether it can be edited, and sometimes whether it gets accepted at all. Here is a practical way to decide.
The key difference
A Word document is meant to be edited. The layout is recalculated every time it is opened, so it can look different depending on the program, the version, and the fonts installed on the reader's computer.
A PDF is meant to be read and printed exactly as intended. Fonts, images and layout are fixed, so the document looks the same on a phone, a Mac, a Windows PC or on paper.
When to send a PDF
- Final documents: invoices, reports, signed letters, certificates.
- CVs and cover letters, unless the employer asks for Word. A PDF keeps your layout intact.
- Anything that will be printed.
- Official submissions, such as applications and administrative files, which usually require PDF.
- Documents you do not want changed by accident.
When to send a Word document
- Drafts that others need to edit or comment on.
- Templates that someone will fill in and reuse.
- When it is requested. Some recruiters and publishers specifically ask for .docx files.
A note on CVs and applicant tracking systems
Many companies use software to read CVs automatically. Modern systems generally read text-based PDFs well. Problems mostly come from PDFs that are scanned images, or from very complex designs with text inside graphics. Export your CV directly from your word processor to PDF, rather than scanning a printout, and keep the layout reasonably simple. If a job posting asks for a specific format, follow it.
Does a PDF protect my document from changes?
Only partly. A PDF is harder to edit casually than a Word file, but people with the right software can still modify it. For legal documents, rely on signatures, version control and keeping your own copy, not on the format alone.
Converting Word to PDF
The best way is to export directly from the program you wrote the document in. In Microsoft Word, LibreOffice and Google Docs, look for Save as PDF, Export as PDF or Download as PDF. Exporting keeps the text searchable and the file small. If you need to combine several exported files, use Merge PDF.
Converting PDF to Word
Going back from PDF to an editable Word file is harder, because a PDF does not store paragraphs and styles the way a word processor does. Converters try to rebuild the layout, with varying success. If you only need the words, it is often simpler to extract the text with PDF to Text and paste it into a new document. If you have the original Word file, always use it instead.
Quick decision guide
| Document | Recommended format |
|---|---|
| CV / cover letter | PDF (unless Word is requested) |
| Invoice / receipt | |
| Contract for review | Word, then PDF for the signed final |
| Report to read | |
| Shared draft | Word or an online document |
| Form to fill in by hand |
Summary
Use Word while a document is still changing, and PDF when it is finished. When in doubt, ask the recipient, or send the PDF and keep the editable original ready.